The end of the year is approaching faster than any of us are ready for.
Everyone waits until January to start going to the gym, eating healthier, getting more sleep and being more disciplined in other areas of their life. But this is your reminder that you don’t have to wait until the first of the month.
You can start early and lay a good foundation, so you’re not going into the new year with ambitious goals that may drop after a few weeks.
Consider these last couple months a trial period! You can start taking more care of your body and health, while still enjoying Thanksgiving dinner and all the lazy holiday days.
Here are some wellness habits to start before the year ends. If you get off track, don’t beat yourself up. Take it slow, and introduce these practices in your routine at a place that feels comfortable to you.
2027 is the year of health, and now is the perfect time to get your priorities in order.
This is all about setting yourself up for a healthier and happier new year!
wellness habits to start before the year ends
schedule the health appointments you've been putting off
We’re all due for an appointment that we’ve been putting off.
Maybe it’s been over six months since your dental cleaning, your doctor’s office keeps sending you reminder emails to schedule a follow-up or you finally want to lock in an intake appointment at a therapy center.
Now is the perfect time to set up those appointments, especially since most people are waiting until the new year.
Use your insurance benefits, especially if you’ve already met your deductible for the year. Take advantage of any dental and vision benefits that might reset at the end of the year.
January will be busy enough with juggling new year’s resolutions and trying to fit yourself in practitioners’ crowded schedules.
Do yourself a favor by getting your health appointments out the way early or scheduled now for the new year.
take a short walk after meals
Walking is so important for our health! In 2027, we’re throwing out the practice of laying down or sleeping after a big meal!
I know all too well how hard it is to fight the itis, but the stomach pain and indigestion isn’t worth it when you wake up. You get up feeling so gross, though the nap felt so good.
Try to wait a couple hours before going to sleep after dinner, and try to fit in a little walk after you eat. It could even be walking around your apartment for 5-10 minutes, if that’s what works for you.
If you can’t fit in a walk, make sure you don’t lay down. Let your food digest in an upright position. Your body and digestive system will thank you!
stay on track with your goals with our daily journal.
beyond being a daily organizer and self care planner, our journal is a guided self love experience aimed at promoting wellness and personal growth.
have at least one screen-free hour each day
We’re all addicted to our phones, right? It’s such a problem that’s hard to shake. It’s so easy to reach for your phone when you’re bored, sad, trying to pass time, lonely, etc.
But it’s getting out of hand for some of us (me!)
Check your screen time right now, and ask yourself if you’re satisfied with that number. If not, make it a priority over the next few weeks to slowly decrease it.
If you can limit your screen time cold turkey, I’m impressed! But some of us are addicted and need to slowly pull back. There’s nothing wrong with going at a pace that feels good to you.
And if you start with one screen-free hour each day, imagine how much easier it will be in January for you to be on your phone less.
start health goals on days other than Monday or the first of the month
Similarly how you don’t have to start new wellness goals and resolutions on January 1st, you don’t have to start them on a Monday or first of the month either.
Stop waiting on Mondays to go to the gym, and don’t normalize waiting until the next week to get on track if you mess up mid-week.
The days of the week are a social construct anyway, right? Stop letting a calendar control your life, and decide when you’re ready to take the next step and start showing up for yourself.
So start going to the gym on a Wednesday. Quit alcohol on the 26th. Begin that new healthy meal plan on a Saturday. Cut dairy out of your life on the 2nd.
Messing up at the start of the day, week, month or year doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Discipline is getting back on the horse, no matter when you fell off.
drink a glass of water before your coffee or breakfast
Water, water, water. I’m jealous of the super hydrated, never-miss-their-water-intake-goals people. I mean how do you do it?
I don’t have an issue with the taste. In fact, I love water and prefer it at most meals. However, that doesn’t mean I’m meeting the 64-90 oz, or whatever the daily water recommendations are these days.
(So I’ll pause here and take a sip of water, and suggest you do the same!)
Now that we’re back, I want you to start drinking a glass of water before your meals, and especially at the beginning of the day before you drink caffeine.
Having a little discipline with water consumption (like before your meals/other beverages) will make you think about it more and be more intentional about hydration.
